Open plan layouts have become the dominant choice for UK new builds and renovations alike. They flood a home with light, encourage easy movement between living, cooking and dining, and feel generous even when the actual square footage is modest. The drawback is rarely mentioned, but anyone who lives in one will recognise it. Without internal walls to hide behind, every item has to look as good as it functions. Storage cannot simply disappear into a cupboard down a hallway because there is no hallway.<\/p>\n
That is why we tend to recommend storage that is part of the architecture of the room itself. Done thoughtfully, it removes clutter without ever feeling like a wall of boxes. Below are nine ways we have seen this work in real UK homes at Furniture in Fashion<\/a>. Pick the ones that suit how you actually live.<\/p>\n A tall slim bookcase<\/a> placed at the join between two zones acts as a quiet divider while doubling as storage. It signals where the lounge begins and the dining area ends, without closing the space off. Choose an open back design if you want light to pass through, or a solid back if you prefer a stronger boundary between the zones.<\/p>\n The wall behind a sofa is almost always underused. Floating shelves, a low sideboard or a slim console can transform that strip into a working surface for books, plants and small ornaments. It also gives the sofa a backdrop and stops the seating from feeling stranded in the middle of the floor.<\/p>\n Closed cupboards are essential in an open plan room. A sideboard<\/a> with a mix of drawers and cupboard doors gives you somewhere to hide the everyday clutter such as charging cables, board games and stationery, while still offering display space on top for lamps or framed photography.<\/p>\n1. Use a Full Height Bookcase as a Soft Divider<\/h3>\n
2. Look at the Wall Behind the Sofa<\/h3>\n
3. Choose a Sideboard With Mixed Storage<\/h3>\n
4. Build Around the Television<\/h3>\n